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'True Blood' creator Alan Ball stepping down as showrunner

HBO announced that the creator of the bloodthristy drama is stepping down as showrunner, though he will remain involved with the series, if it continues.

"When we extended our overall deal with Alan Ball in July 2011, we always intended that if we proceeded to True Blood’s sixth season that Alan would take a supervisory role on the series and not be the day-to-day showrunner," said HBO's statement. "If we proceed to season six, the show will remain in the very capable hands of the talented team of writers and producers who have been with the show for a number of years. This is the best possible world for both HBO and Alan Ball. Alan will remain available as executive producer to consult and advise on True Blood and he will be free to develop new shows for both HBO and Cinemax. Banshee, on which Alan serves as executive producer, is the first in house series for Cinemax and is expected to begin production this spring."

Ball, who created and wrote ‘Six Feet Under” and the big screen’s “American Beauty” before taking on "True Blood," said in a statement, "True Blood has been, and will continue to be, a highlight of not only my career but my life. Because of the fantastic cast, writers, producers and crew, with whom I have been lucky enough to work these past five years, I know I could step back and the show will continue to thrive as I look forward to new and exciting ventures."

Ball had previously hinted that his time on the show would inevitably come to an end. During the show’s panel at last year’s Television Critics Assn. press tour, he told reporters, “Well, everything ends,” before announcing he’d return for a fifth season. “There will be an end for me on the show at some point. I just closed a deal to do another season. I don’t have any desire to leave because I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had in my life.”